PRINTER'S NO. 1663
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
317
Session of
2018
INTRODUCED BY FARNESE, BOSCOLA, DINNIMAN, BLAKE, FONTANA,
SABATINA, BROWNE, SCAVELLO, GREENLEAF, VOGEL, SCHWANK,
KILLION, AUMENT, RAFFERTY, COSTA, HUGHES AND VULAKOVICH,
APRIL 17, 2018
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, APRIL 17, 2018
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of April 2018 as "Pennsylvania Donate Life
Month."
WHEREAS, Organ and tissue transplantation has been recognized
as a corrective and lifesaving medical procedure; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania strongly supports organ and tissue
donation because of its lifesaving and life-enhancing
opportunities; and
WHEREAS, Each person who donates organs and tissues can
potentially take eight people off the organ transplant waiting
list, restore sight to two people and save or enhance more than
75 lives; and
WHEREAS, More than 7,500 men, women and children in this
Commonwealth are awaiting lifesaving organ transplants; and
WHEREAS, Only 2,198 transplants were performed in this
Commonwealth in 2017 due to a lack of organ donations; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 95% of people say they support organ
donation, but only 47.8% of Pennsylvanians have demonstrated it
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by registering as donors; and
WHEREAS, On average, one person will die every 18 hours in
this Commonwealth waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant; and
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth has 18 transplant centers and is
recognized as a world leader in organ and tissue
transplantation; and
WHEREAS, Commonwealth law enables residents to donate their
organs and tissues by selecting the option to become a donor
when applying for or renewing their driver's license or State
identification card and also allows relatives to consent to the
donation of organs and tissues of a deceased family member; and
WHEREAS, A vital component of the continuation and
advancement of organ transplantation is the recovery of donor
organs and tissues; and
WHEREAS, The lifesaving work of transplant team medical
professionals and researchers of improving surgical techniques
and antirejection drugs has resulted in significantly increased
success rates for organ transplantation; and
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth is a national and international
leader in the field of donation and transplantation, but the
number of people in need of transplants far exceeds the number
of organs and the amount of tissue available; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Health, Department of Education,
Department of Transportation and the two organ procurement
organizations in this Commonwealth, the Center for Organ
Recovery and Education (CORE) and the Gift of Life Donor
Program, are committed to enhancing the lives of those in need
of organ and tissue transplantation by continuing to increase
public awareness of the importance of becoming a registered
donor; and
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WHEREAS, In order for this Commonwealth to remain a leader in
organ donation and transplantation, it is necessary that the
pronouncements and public policies of State government encourage
and promote organ and tissue donation; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of April 2018
as "Pennsylvania Donate Life Month"; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate support organ and tissue donation
and encourage all residents to consider becoming an organ and
tissue donor by placing the organ donor designation on their
driver's license or State identification card or registering
online at www.donatelifepa.org and sharing this decision with
their families.
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